Compartment bag for marbles or the like



Aug. 16, 1932. N 1,872,640

COMPARTMENT BAG FOR MARBLES OR THE LIKE Filed April 22, 1931 INVENTOR flaw PM, Y

A TORN Y Patented Aug. 16, 1932 BERRY PINK, OF PASSAIG, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROSENTHAL GOMIPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COMPARTMENT BAG FOB MARBLES OR THE LIKE Application filed April 22,

My present invention relates generally to packaging, and has particular reference to the packaging of spherical bodies, more especially toy marbles or the like.

Although my invention is directed primarily to containers for toy marbles, it will be understood that a number'of phases of my invention are not necessarily restricted tothis specific purpose.

The packaging, for shipment and merchandising purposes, of marbles presents numerous problems and difficulties. Bags with draw strings, especially of attractive material such as chamois or the like, have been employed in the past and result in an attractive and marketable article, but bag 'constructions of this character are relatively expensive; they do not permit the contents thereof to be readily displayed and open to inspection; and they present irregular and bulky masses for purposes of shipment, storage, stacking, and general manipulation.

In an efi'ort to render a mass of marbles visible to the eye of the prospective purchaser, attempts have been made to market marbles in relatively rigid containers, such as cardboard boxes, with portions of the walls cut out to reveal the interior. Here, too, such boxes present items of relative expense and do not by any means result in the production of as attractive a commodity as is generally desirable in the marketing of all toys of this character.

It is a general object of my present invention to provide an improved package for marbles or the like which embodies the advantageous characteristics of bags while at the same time permitting'almost any number of marbles to be packaged in a bundle with a minimum of expense and with all marbles at all times attractively displayed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a package in the nature of a bag which is so constructed that without any reinforcements whatsoever it is substantially fiat at all times, thereby greatly facilitating shipment, storage, and display; not to speak of the increased advantages in connection with storage and shipment of the empty containers.

1931. Serial No. 531,931.

One of the main features of my invention lies in the provision of a package wherein a flexible netting is employed, this material being not only relatively inexpensive but also being of suflicient strength and attractiveness and permitting visibility therethrough.

A. particular feature of my invention lies in providing what I have termed a compartment bag, wherein a novel method of constructing the bag results in the production of a series of adjacent compartments of peculiarly advantageous characteristics.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide the compartments of such shape, size, and arrangement, especially with respect to the cross-sectional capacity thereof, and in predetermined relationship to the sizes of the marbles to be accommodated therein, that a maximum number of marbles is capa ble of being packaged in each compartment, while at the same time each marble is constantly maintained in a predetermined relationship to every other marble, and in a constantly visible condition. More particularly, the compartments I provide are substantially rectangular and elongated and are adapted to accommodate a plurality of marbles arranged in parallel rowsand in a single plane, the cross-sectional area of each compartment being just sufficient to accommodate these rows of marbles in snugly staggered relationship with adjacent marbles of each row being in direct contact with each other.

In a preferred embodiment, my present bag is substantially rectangular and flat and is provided with two, and perhaps three, adjacent sections or compartments, each of which is adapted to accommodate two rows of marbles.

A further feature of my invention lies in constructing the bag of a single blank of material and in a manner which involves a minimum number of procedural steps of stitching and the like, the several compartments having independent feeding apertures at adj acent ends, and a common closure being provided for these ends.

I achieve the foregoing objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a marble package of the present character;

Figure 2 is an enlarged crosssectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction of Figure 2, showing the construction of the empty bag;

Figure 4: is an enlarged cross-sectional iew taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified type of bag prior to filling thereof; and- Figure 6 is a crosssectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring for the moment to Figure 3, I will point out that the bag may be composed of a single substantially rectangular blank of flexible netting which is doubled upon itself so that the opposite side edges 10 and 11 are brought into adjacence with one another. These edges are stitched together, as at 12, thereby providing a tubular construction which is substantially flat and is composed of the two superposed rectangular walls 13 and 14. The adjacent edges of this tube at one end thereof are connected, as, for ex ample, by stitching 15 (Figure 1) to provide a bottom for the bag. In accordance with my present invention, the opposite walls 13 and 14 are connected together along at least one medial line substantially perpendicular to the open side or end of the tube. In Figures 1-4, I have shown the possibility of employing the stitches 12 for this purpose, it being observed that these stitches pass directly through both walls 13 and 14. This divides the bag into two compartments which are substantially rectangular, elongated, and lying side by side.

In accordance with my invention, the crosssectional capacity of each compartment, as shown in Figures 1-4, is just sufficient to accommodate two rows of marbles arranged in parallel alignment and in snugly staggered relationship. In Figure 1, for example, it will be noticed that the marbles 16 are arranged in one row while the marbles 17 are arranged in an adjacent row, these two rows being snugly staggered with respect to each other and being accommodated within the left compartment, as viewed in Figures 13. In Figure 2, I have shown the manner in which the cross-sectional capacity of the compartment is just sufiicient to accommodate these two rows of marbles.

It is further to be noted that the marbles of each row are in contact with each other, this being accomplished by making the cross-sectional area of the compartment large enough to permit each three marbles to have their nemeeo centers at the apices of an equilateral triangle.

In a similar way, the two rows 18 and 19 are arranged within the right-hand compartment.

After the bag is filled, it is sealed by means of a suitable closure 20 which may, for example, be a strip of fabric or the like, as shown in Figure 4, which is doubled upon itself and around the free open edge of the bag, the closure being secured, for example, by means of staples 21. The member 20 may, if desired, serve as a convenient means for marking the package with the name or trade mark of the maker.

4 The features of the bag thus far described and illustrated will be obvious. Each of the marbles is constantly visible through the bag, and the attractive colors and types of marbles are thus on constant display. The alignment and arrangement of the marbles is unalterable regardless of the manner in which the bag may be shipped, handled, displayed, or positioned. For example, the package of F igurel is substantially fiat, all of the marbles lying in a single plane, and this arrangement of the marbles in a single plane will be constantly maintained even though the bag may be suspended in a vertical position, as, for example, from a hook or the like. The bag may be thrown from place to place, or handled repeatedly upon a display counter or the like, and at all times the spread yet compact relationship of the marbles will be maintained. Thus, I accomplish the functions of a rigid enclosure such as a cardboard box despite the fact that my package is primarily a flexible bag; and I accomplish all the advantageous characteristics of a bag While achieving a constant visibility of the 5 contents.

In Figures 5 and 6, I have illustrated a modified type of bag wherein three adjacent compartments are provided. A blank is doubled upon itself so that its opposite side edges 22 and 23 are brought into adj acence, thereby providing a flat tubular structure with the superposed, substantially rectangular walls 24- and 25. These walls are connected as by stitching 26, this line of stitching simultaneously connecting the free ends of the blank. A second line of stitching or connection 27 is also provided, thereby dividing the bag into the three compartments 28, 29, and 30, as shown in Figure 5. A transverse line of stitching or connection 31 is provided to form a bottom, and as a result each of the compartments is of elongated, rectangular character having a feeding aperture at one end. A common closure for these compartments may be provided in the manner illustratively shown at 20 and 21.

The advantages of the structure of Figure 5 will be understood from the description hereinbefore given in connection with Figure 1. The entire package is substantially fiat, the marbles are all in spread yet snug relationship visible through the bag, and the alignment thereof is constantly maintained gespite the handling or the positioning of the ag. e

A further advantage of my present invention lies in the possibility of arranging one type of marbles in one compartment and another type in another compartment, the constant maintenance of the initial arrangement making this segregated packaging feasible.

I have purposely illustrated the marbles as being ununiform in size, because this is the usual condition of these articles, and because I wish to point out that slight variations in size do not in the least interfere with the accomplishment of the general objects of my invention.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a novel type of package which enhances the marketability of articles such as marbles; and which is not only relatively inexpensive and simple in nature, but which greatly facilitates initial assembly, packaging, shipment, and display. Furthermore, the bag obviously affords a convenient receptacle for the marbles so far as the ultimate user thereof is concerned.

It will be obvious that changes in the details herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing. from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is therefore intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A marble package comprising a substan tially flat. rectangular bag of flexible netting, the opposite walls of the bag being connected along at least one longitudinal line which divides the bag into at least two elongated compartments arranged side side, a plurality of marbles substantially filling each compartment and arranged in no more than two parallel rows in a single plane, and the cross-section a1 capacity of each compartment being just sufficient to accommodate said rows in snug, staggered relationship with adjacent marbles of each row in cdnt'act with each other; whereby each compartment is used to capacity and the marbles in each row of each compartment are substantially maintained in a single plane regardless of the position of the bag.

2. A marble package comprising a substantially flat, rectangular bag of flexible netting, the opposite walls of the bag being connected alone at least one longitudinal line which divides the bag into at least two elongated compartments arranged side by side, a plurality of marbles substantially filling each compartment and arranged in two parallel rows, said marbles being of a selected size with respect to the cross-sectional capacity of each compartment so that the latter will be just sufficient to accommodatesaid two rows ofmarbles in snugly staggered relationship; whereby the marbles are substantially maintained in alignment in a substantially single plane.

3. A package for vending substantially spherical articles comprising a substantially flat rectangular bag of flexible netting, the opposite walls of said bag being connected along at least one longitudinal line intermediate of the sides thereof to divide the bag into a plurality of narrow elongated compartments arranged side by side, each of said compartments being substantially filled with said spherical articles, the articles being of a selected size with respect to the cross sectional area of the compartment containing them so that they will of necessity arrange themselves in two substantially parallel rows with the articles in each row of each compartment in substantially the same plane.

a. A package for vending substant ally spherical articles comprising a substantially flat rectangular bag of flexible netting, the opposite walls of said bag belng connected along at least one longitudinal line intermediate of the sides thereof to divide the bag into a plurality of narrow elongated compartments arranged side by side, each of sa d compartments being entirely filled with said spherical articles, the articles being of a selected size with respect to the cross sectlonal area of the compartment containing them so that they will of necessity arrange themselves into two substantially parallel rows with the articles of one row in juxtaposed staggered relationship with respect to the articles in the other row, whereby all of said articles will lie in substantially a single plane from the top to the bottom of said bag and W111 be substantially entirely visible for purposes of 1nspection.-

In witness whereof I have signed this spec1- fication this 18th day of April, 1931.

BERRY PINK. 

